Scaling metabolic rate fluctuations

摘要: Complex ecological and economic systems show fluctuations in macroscopic quantities such as exchange rates, size of companies or populations that follow non-Gaussian tent-shaped probability distributions growth rates with power-law decay, which suggests complex may be governed by universal mechanisms, independent particular details idiosyncrasies. We propose here metabolic rate within individual organisms considered an example emergent property a system test the hypothesis distribution individuals has “universal” form regardless body taxonomic affiliation. examined data from 71 belonging to 25 vertebrate species (birds, mammals, lizards). report three main results. First, for all these species, follows decay. Second, standard deviation decays function both average mass, exponents −0.352 −1/4 respectively. Finally, we find different can rescaled single parent distribution, supporting existence general principles underlying structure functioning organisms.